


Back at the beginning

by alma76



Category: Dracula (TV 2020)
Genre: Angry Kahtleen is funny, a little comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:40:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23376268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alma76/pseuds/alma76
Summary: Dracula goes back to see Kathleen, from Whitby. Zoe accompanies him, this time.
Relationships: Dracula & Zoe Van Helsing, Dracula/Zoe Van Helsing
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	Back at the beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [allis143](https://archiveofourown.org/users/allis143/gifts).



> This one follows my previous multi-chapters, but it should be readable as a standalone.  
> I had the idea after a -very - brief conversation with allis143 on tumblr about one of my posts, while I was writing my - not really - smutty scene on It's not the end yet. This chapter gave me headaches and it was fun to write a little silly thing like that after.The throwing things at Dracula was actually allis143's idea. I found the idea hilarious.  
> I hope it will make you smile.

A quick stop at Kathleen : a comedy

Kathleen was preparing a cup of tea when she heard a knock on her door. She looked at the clock and frowned : it was too early to be her friend, Debby, and too late for the milkman. Anyway, the milkman never knocked. He just left the bottle of milk in front of the door. She put out the tea bag from her cup, threw it in the sink and went to open the door.

Before her was standing a 6'4" handsome man she recognised immediately. Not a man. A vampire.

The beast smiled at her with seemingly genuine pleasure.

\- Hello, Kathleen. Remember me?

**************

Kathleen reacted at once. She threw her burning mug at the vampire and ran back into the house. He had already been invited so she couldn't expect him to get stuck on the doormat. Her mug had missed him by inches, the vampire moving out of the trajectory very fast. When she looked over her shoulder, she was surprised to see a familiar woman following at a more sedate pace behind the vampire with... was it her cup of tea she was drinking?!

The vampire following her inside the house, she took refuge in the kitchen and reached for anything and everything she could lay her hands on to throw it at him, all the while screaming :

\- Get out of me house, you murderer!

\- Now, Kathleen. Calm down!" The vampire told her in soothing tones, avoiding first the toaster, then a plate, the kettle, a colander and a chopping board. An empty can of soda brushed past him to crash on the floor. When she reached for a frying pan bigger than her, he moved like a flash and twisting the dish from her hands, put it back gently on the counter top. Then he took a few steps backwards, holding up his hands in a non-threatening gesture.

\- Kathleen. I am not here to hurt you. I promise.

The young woman took a knife from the knife rack and holding it in front of her, backed down against her brand new fridge.

\- How can you think I will believe you? You are a vampire!

The vampire gestured behind him, in the general direction of the woman, who clearly seemed to enjoy herself. She was, in fact, drinking the tea Kathleen had prepared for herself moments before her life went pear-shaped. Again.

\- Ask, Zoe. She'll confirm.

Kathleen scoffed :

\- How can I trust someone who's with you?

The woman behind him chuckled :

\- She has a point, Vlad.

Kathleen stared at her intently this time. The woman was more than familiar. It took a moment for the young woman to recreate the circumstances of their meeting, then she exclaimed :

\- You are the woman from this... this foundation! You destroyed my house, by the way. What do you intend to do about that? The insurance doesn't cover this kind of damages!

Zoe walked towards her, her free hand outstretched :

\- Zoe Helsing, late doctor, late head of the Jonathan Harker Foundation. How do you do? I apologise for your roof but I can't do anything anymore. I am supposed to be dead.

Without thinking, Kathleen took the woman's hand before releasing it with a gasp, when the meaning of her words sank in. She shrank against her fridge. Dear God! The woman wasn't human. She had two vampires in her house! At her look of alarm, Zoe Helsing immediately took several steps backwards, so as to show her she wasn't a danger :

\- Don't worry about me, Kathleen. I don't bite humans, as a general rule. And definitely not the unwilling. Vlad, on the other hand, I wouldn't put it past him." She added with a teasing smile, looking at her companion. The vampire she called Vlad rolled his eyes at her and admonished her :

\- Come now, Zoe. She won't listen to me now!" Zoe's smile grew only bigger. As the older vampire turned his attention back to her, the young woman tensed but, rallying her courage :

\- Who are you, anyway? At least, your friend introduced herself properly.

\- Oh yes! Of course! Sorry. My name is Dracula. Vlad Basarab, third Count of Dracul, but everyone call me Dracula. Well except her" He added, pointing at the ex-doctor, who was perusing with interest at Kathleen's brand new if still poorly stocked bookcase.

Kathleen started at the name.

\- Dracula? As in the book?

The Count rolled his eyes in disgust.

\- Ack! If he wasn't already dead, I would have had a thing or two to say to Bram Stoker. I assure you.

Suddenly, Kathleen realised that the vampire really didn't intend to bite or kill her. The wave of relief that flooded her was quickly replace by anger. She threw him a glass he easily blocked despite being taken by surprise by her burst of anger.

She shouted at him :

\- Look what they've done to me house, because of you! You, bastard!

\- Yes, I know, Kathleen. I am here to apologise and...

\- Apologise? Vampires don't apologise!...

Zoe threw over her shoulder :

\- This one does, actually. Several times, if you must know.

\- You're not helping, Zoe." Dracula growled, annoyed.

Raising her eyes from the book she had picked, Zoe smiled sweetly at her companion :

\- I am not here to help, you know. I am here to have fun.

Kathleen was looking at their banter with wonder and then the penny dropped :

\- Are you lovers?" The moment she let out the question, she turned crimson. She had two vampires in her house, who so far had been benevolent towards her. Why did she have to go and provoke them?

\- I mean : it's not my business but..."

\- Is it that obvious?" Dracula asked with a smug smile.

The poor Kathleen blushed deeper and raked her brain to find the appropriate answer. But before she could find one, Zoe told her from the bookcase she was perusing again :

\- Don't answer to him, Kathleen. You'll just boost his ego. Don't worry : if he goes all threatening on you, you can still hit him with that huge frying pan you were holding a moment ago. I won't prevent you. As a matter of fact, I might even help you." She concluded with a huge smile.

Kathleen smiled back at the older woman - She couldn't bring herself to call her a vampire. She felt a kind of kinship with this strange woman, who bore the same cross as her, which was having met Dracula. Well Dr Helsing bore it better than her. She looked almost happy.

However, she had a sudden suspicion that made her frowned. She gestured towards the vampire she knew now was the legendary Count Dracula :

\- Did he make you like him?

Zoe made a face :

\- I'm afraid so." Then after a mischievous smile towards the older vampire, she added : "He was growing bored with himself. He needed company. And beside, he needs someone to keep him in check."

At that, Dracula decided apparently that enough was enough and he protested :

\- Ladies, can we go back to the reason for my visit? I don't want to stay here all night, thank you very much.

Kathleen, comforted by the playful demeanour of Dr Helsing, decided to ignore him and, instead, asked the older woman :

\- Can I do anything to help? I can still throw him things. Or... Or I have garlic if you want!

At the word, Dracula took a few steps backwards :

\- Oh no! I was sick once in this house. I won't be twice! If you so much as reach for your spices rack, I am out of here and you can kiss goodbye to your new roof!

At the unexpected burst, Kathleen looked questioningly towards Zoe. Zoe smiled at her reassuringly:

\- You touch a very sensitive issue for the poor dear. We don't fear garlic, but we can't stand the odour. Something to do with our very sensitive sense of smell. And, on top of that, Vlad is kind of allergic, apparently.

\- I am not allergic." The Count grumbled.

\- But thank you for your offer. It was very kind and courageous, considering the situation." Zoe turned to Dracula and said :

\- Now, Vlad. Why don't you explain what you want to do for Kathleen, so we can leave her in peace? Finally.

Dracula turned to Kathleen :

\- Quite right, Zoe. Listen, Kathleen. I wanted to apologise for this", showing the gaping roof on her living room. " Even, if it wasn't my doing." He gave a pointed look in the direction of Zoe, who looked back at him, raising one eyebrow. Dracula rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

\- Anyway" He said to the young human. " I want to make it up to you."

\- You killed my husband, why would I want anything from you?

\- Well, he was beating you, so you should think it more like a public service : one less wife beater in this world!

\- I loved him!

\- Oh, come now, Kathleen! You can't be serious! You loved this pale excuse for a man, who beat you to prove his worth?!

Zoe remarked casually :

\- I could think of worst things. Like being in love with a vampire, for example.

Dracula turned to her, with his head tilted and a thoughtful gleam in his eyes, then he shook himself and returned his sight to the young woman, but not without saying :

\- We'll come back to that later, if you don't mind.

Zoe grumbled :

\- There is nothing to come back to. I was just making a point! It didn't mean anything!

Dracula ignored her last remark.

\- So, Kathleen! First and foremost, I must insist that I absolutely have nothing to do with the state of your roof.

Kathleen let out a cry of outrage :

\- They ruined my home, because of you!

\- Yes." Dracula confirmed in a soothing tone. "But you understand I didn't ask them to. I was a victim as much as you were." A scoff then a cough sounded close the bookcase. " Don't listen to her, Kathleen. She is annoyed because I tried to bite her."

\- You would have me too, if I didn't have my cross, wouldn't you?!" Kathleen didn't asked a question.

\- Well...

\- Do you realise I had nightmares for weeks after they took you! I was so afraid you'd come back to finish the job. They told me you were dead, those bloody liars!

\- Well! I am dead. I am a vampire. So technically, they didn't lie to you.

\- Urgh! You know what they can do with their technicalities?! I was terrified! I couldn't sleep a wink! And they didn't do anything to help me! I could... I could..." Kathleen was so incensed, she couldn't speak another word.

Dracula took a step forwards, asking with a seductive voice :

\- Oh, Kathleen! What do you want do to them? Maybe I can help.

Zoe's voice resounded from her position near the bookcase :

\- Hey! Lucifer! Back to business!You just told us you didn't want to linger!

Dracula frowned at Zoe, but he turned back to Kathleen with a serious expression :

\- Yes! Quite right, Dr Helsing! Actually Kathleen, it really is simple. I want to pay for the repairs in your house and take care of everything you might need." He raised a finger in a silencing gesture when Kathleen opened her mouth to protest again. " I know : you don't want anything from me. Look, Kathleen, I feel like I owe you. And I had a lot of fun talking to you when I arrived in England. I promise you, there is no strings attached, no weird bargain. Nothing. Just me apologising and making it up to you.

While explaining to Kathleen his reasons, Dracula had been pacing the living room. All the while, Kathleen had kept watching him, gaping. So she couldn't help to start when Dracula stopped in front of her, waiting for her answer. She realised belatedly that he was waiting for something. She raked her brain for an appropriate question, then settled on :

\- But... but why would you want to help me? I'm nobody. I did nothing.

Dracula threw a side glance in the direction of Dr Helsing, who seemed engrossed in the book she was reading, then turning back to look at Kathleen with a smile at the corner of his lips :

\- Let's just say that your house was the beginning of something very important and I am quite fond of the memories here.

Kathleen watched from the vampire to her companion and back then realised what that something important was to him. Or rather who. Despite her misgivings, she nodded and finally said :

\- Then, I suppose I can't say no to such a tempting offer, can I?!

Dracula clapped his hands in satisfaction.

\- Excellent! My lawyer will contact you in a few days. Maybe as soon as tomorrow, if I don't need him. Zoe, my dear, let's go. You will be able to read all the books you want when we are at our destination.

Zoe rolled her eyes, but she put the book she was reading back in the bookcase.

Kathleen saw the late doctor cross a patch of sunlight once more. She had noticed on a few occasions while they were in her home that they didn't seem to mind it.

While they were leaving, Kathleen finally worked up the courage to ask :

\- Dr Helsing?

Zoe stopped and turned to the younger woman :

\- Yes?

Kathleen looked at Dracula, who stood on her front steps, right in the sun. Then, she looked back at Zoe :

\- I thought you couldn't stand the sun.

Zoe smiled at her then answered :

\- This one was quite wrong." She turned to look at Dracula, and concluded: "And personally, I am very glad of it. Goodbye, Kathleen. Enjoy your new life." Dracula had put on some very fashionable sunglasses. He turned to Kathleen with a huge smile, saying to the young woman :

\- It's going to be a beautiful day, Kathleen. You should go out and enjoy it." He looked at his smiling companion, then concluded :

\- We certainly will.

And with those parting words, he presented his arm to Zoe who took it and they went back to the car that was waiting for them.

Kathleen closed her door she had opened barely an hour ago and wondered if she'd better not move out in an another part of the world altogether.


End file.
